By Glen Vaughn-Petersen
Fall is just around the corner, and many folks are preparing to celebrate with festivals as a result.
Greek Fest
One such festival is south Kansas City’s largest attraction: the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church’s 61st Annual Greek Festival held September 8th, 9th and 10th at 12001 Wornall Rd. This festival features authentic Greek food, traditional Greek music by the Hellenic 5 Orchestra, and traditional Greek dancing. Tours of the Orthodox church are also available. A portion of the proceeds from the food sales will be distributed to local charities by the festival partner, the Annunciation Ladies Philoptochos Society.
Belton Fall Fest
Another festival returning is the Belton’s Main Street Fall Festival on September 8th and 9th. Located on Belton’s historic Main Street and hosted by Downtown Belton Main Street Inc., this event has been occurring for around 40 years, and features a variety of local artisans, vendors, and food trucks, including Scentsy, Mary-Kay, and Random’s Coffee. Additionally, each day, local bands, including the Belton High School Jazz Band, the TNT Band, and the Troubadour Retrievers, will be performing for festival goers in the afternoon and evening. On September 9th, there will be an opportunity to experience a train ride at the Belton, Grandview, and Kansas City Railroad Depot and Ticket Office as a part of the festival.
Waldo Fall Fest
Waldo is also preparing for a festival of their very own. This year, Waldo is holding the 31st Annual Waldo Fall Festival on September 16. Hosted by the Waldo Area Business Association, the festival is a showcase of many local businesses and vendors, ranging from food to clothing and accessories and more. Several food trucks will be present at the event. “This event has become a tradition for many and we are thrilled to continue to grow the Waldo Fall Festival while keeping it fresh year after year,” said Natalie Nelson, Director of Operations for the Waldo Area Business Association. “We’ve added more vendors, top bands and entertainment, and new experiences for people to enjoy. The goal is to create a community event to explore the area while supporting local businesses and celebrating 31 years of fun in Waldo.” Additionally, local musicians like Friendly Thieves, DJ Die Hard, School of Rock, and Lorna’s Dance Studio, will be performing throughout the day. Other various types of live entertainment will also be present on the stage. This festival will also be hosting a public announcement for the new “Mayor of Waldo”, where the public can nominate someone to be sworn in as the new “Mayor” at the event itself. For the kids, there are activities such as a free bounce house and a Party Cube, an inflatable tent with LED lighting and music to create an immersive party environment within.
All of these events are free to the public. For more information on each festival, including times and directions to each location, visit the websites for the cities of Belton and Waldo, as well as the Annunciation Church website.